What your Minnetonka self storage does in the spring will benefit for the rest of the year and beyond. Each storage customer is important and will generate a lot of revenue for your company. The rent is the obvious revenue source, but there are some other sources of revenue that you do not want to miss out on. Moving and storage supplies will be needed by pretty much everyone that rents from you. They may not realize that you offer many of the things that they will need. They would then just buy most of the stuff before they got to your facility. You should consider putting many of your more popular items on a discount so you can move them in bulk throughout the spring. Make sure to tell each caller than that you offer locks, boxes, and pretty much anything related to moving and storage supplies. If you do not carry moving and storage supplies, stock up for the spring.

Every Minnetonka self storage knows that the key to success is customer satisfaction. Attracting new customers is what it is all about, but you also need to take care of your current tenants. Try something unconventional. You could offer a five or ten percent discount to customers who have been with you for longer than a year. This is something that most sites in Minnesota would not even think of doing since it would seem that you are losing revenue. This will generate more revenue in the long term because you will have loyal customers. Loyal Minnetonka self storage customers will stay longer. If customers stayed an average of one extra month because you offered them a discount, then the program would pay for itself. It lets the customer know that you appreciate the fact that they store with you. They could have stored anywhere, but they chose your company.

Loyal customers will also send you referrals and generate even more revenue. It is definitely a snowball effect of sorts. Short term thinking storage owners may not see the big picture. They will be consumed with making the most money now that they will fail in the long term. They will be on to something else, like maybe owning a used car lot. Owners who think in the long term will generate good profit now and in the long run. They will be able to have a nice retirement some day and enjoy the golden years.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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There are many trade shows to pick from throughout the year. You do not need to attend all of them. You just need to go to a few that catch your eye. Some Hopkins self storage managers prefer to attend the trade shows that are located in places that they always wanted to visit. They can have a great vacation and learn about new developments in the storage industry. For example, the kiosk used to be the latest, greatest thing, but sales are declining because customers can now simply use their Smartphone to do anything that a kiosk can do. You would not know about great, new technologies such as this before the competition if you do not go to trade shows. Many new things about the storage industry are unveiled at storage trade shows.

The great thing about trade shows is all of the storage knowledge that is collected in one place. Great companies and industry leaders gather to share ideas and expectations for the coming year. Not many Hopkins self storage companies will attend trade shows, so you will be ahead of the competition just by going to the show. Think about this. If you were to pick up one extra rental a week, you would increase your revenue by thirty to fifty thousand dollars, which would increase your property value by close to a half a million dollars. The cost of a trade show is nothing compared to the money that you make by going and getting some new sales techniques.

You may thing that you know a lot about the storage industry, but you will be floored by all of the different ways that people look at the problem of a flailing economy in Minnesota and the world. In order to be a viable Hopkins self storage company, you must look at things from a new angle right now. Customers are going to be very picky because there is not as much available money in the market as there was five years ago. They need to be impresses when they call in. Guest speakers at the trade show will be able to give new ideas on how to impress and delight customers that you have never heard before. Make sure to bring your notepad so that you do not miss out on anything that they have to say. The speakers are very good at what they do, so they will no doubt be entertaining to listen to. The goal is to take what they say and bring that back with you so that you can apply it to each and every phone call and office visit to boost rentals.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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The ideal self storage business is a dream concept. It is really very difficult to attain that level, where there is more than 90 percent occupancy through out the year or you get innumerable calls in each day or your staffs do not require any training or you can convert most of the prospective customers into real ones etc. Reaching to this level might be difficult but not infeasible. If you are sincere, devoted and dedicated to your business, you can easily reach near that level. To ensure this level of business operation, you have to look for following marketing aspects.

• In your self storage business you have to ensure that your phone remains connected with your prospective customers 24 hours 7 days a week. Even if this is not possible, you have to take this as a goal for your business. For this, you have to give more priority to the marketing and advertising part. Your total spent money on the advertising part should return back to you in this way. You should try out various types of creative and innovative ideas, to project your business. You must keep a moderate amount of money as your marketing budget. If you want, you can take professional help to build up brilliant advertisements for your business.
• The second step for your self storage business is going to contact more people who call you up and visit. This depends on the way you communicate with the potential customer, when he calls you up. While you are on the phone, you have to give him an impression that none of the other storing facilities can be more beneficial to him than yours. You have to convince him in such a way, that he at least plans to visit your place and ultimately does this. Once he visits your place, then you can talk to him much more clearly and convincingly. Try to convert at least 70 percent such caller customer to visiting ones.
• The next step in your self storage business is to improve more in the number of people who visit and then sign for the agreement. This part is also quite difficult as you have to prove to the potential customers that you are the best in the locality. You should convince your customer by any means, so that he immediately plans for signing the agreement.
• The final step is to deal with your customer service sincerely and nicely, so that no dispute arises during the storing period and thus he can extend the storing period for long term or he presents you much more referrals. You have to give him such a confidence level, that whenever he thinks of storing, he thinks about your facility.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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With the help of these property management firms you can easily enjoy the benefits of owning a property without any hassle. The whole process of managing your property would become few simple steps for you. You can easily put your effort for buying more properties and use them for lease. Whether your renter does not pay rent on time, or if there is any emergency call from your tenant at midnight, or any of your vacant property requires a renovation, all these customer service jobs will be perfectly managed by these firms, along with the regular record keeping, rent collections and accounting jobs related to your properties.

The property management firms are going to place trained managers for taking care of your properties. Once you have employed such a manager, then you can undoubtedly enjoy following services from him.

• You will receive your earning within the first week of each month.
• You do not have to pay any extra charge for paying off your utility and other bills.
• You will receive monthly reports showing itemized income and expenses.
• Your earning will be electronically deposited to your bank account.
• You can avail a better way to advertise your property.
• Finally, your properties will be handled with sincere care and efficiency.

The reputed property management firms will give extra importance to advertise your property. Specially, for properties which are going to be vacant in the next month, the process of finding new tenants starts 30 days in advance. The picture of the property is uploaded to the website or in the search sites, so that many prospective renters can see to it. You will be notified through email in advance, as soon as the management firms receive any notice to vacate from your tenants. The letter will inform you the moving out date and expected rent from the next potential tenant.

Once the property is vacated, the property management firms will conduct an inspection, and you will be alerted immediately about the condition of your property. Any repairing work will be conducted by skilled professional, after obtaining your permission. If you want, you might visit your property at any point of time. Any type of damages made by the previous tenant will be repaired using the security deposit. Thus, you do not have to spend any extra money on this. Most of the companies have 24 hours hotline service to listen to the complaints from residents and owner. Your manager is going to be constantly in touch with you, so that you never feel uncomfortable being out of the place.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Plans are the tools that make it easy to evaluate success. Success is the goal of all our businesses. None of us set out to fail in our businesses. Unfortunately many businesses do not have a good plan and then when they fail they can not evaluate where they went wrong.

Your plan should start off with a summary what it is you are trying to accomplish. Within your summary be sure to include the information on the property and what services and benefits that property would offer.

Be sure to also describe who you will be serving with that product or service.

You will also need to be sure to include the best estimate for expenses and income in your summary.

The second part of a real estate management business plan should include the detailed description of the property including how the property fits into the current market. Be sure to include all competitors into your plan, compare and contrast how you are going to set your property apart from your competition. This section should not only include a detailed description of the property and how it is similar and different from other properties that will be in direct competition with your property this section also needs to include the timeline for the property.

The third section of your plan needs to be the market analysis. The most important part of the market analysis is to get a complete picture of the current and projected market for your property. This is one of the most important parts of your plan. In my opinion this is the most important part of your plan. You need to know your market.

The next section of your real estate management business plan is about your management.  Who are going to be the key players of your property? If you already have staff what skill sets do they bring to your team? If you do not have staff then be sure to list all staff that you will be needing including the accountant or CFO all the way to the maintenance people and the cleaning crews that will be required to keep your properties running well and well maintained. Be sure to include in your list the job descriptions and attributes that you are going to expect from each member of your team.

We are now ready for the 5th part of your real estate management business . This section is all about implementation how are you going to implement your plan. How do you expect to get started what resources do you need be successful. Don’t forget to also include what areas have the most risk and the most likely possibility for failure so that you can show in your plan how you will overcome those obstacles.

That brings us nicely to part 6 of your plan. What are the Risks for your self and for any investor that you may bring in to your real estate management business plan with you? In your risk analysis be sure to include Internal risks, external risks, Insurance provisions and a contingency plan for each risk.

Part 7 is the financial projections. This is where you get into the nitty-gritty of each and every dime and penny and million that you expect to pay and that you expect to earn. This is the section that must be the most detailed. Include the first year financial projections by quarter. Also give the 5 year projection. The financial history of a similar property and be sure to include an financial exit strategy.

The last section of your real estate management business plan is the appendixes. This section includes sighting all of your research. Where did you get your information and the numbers that you have used in the other parts of your plan. This section will be beneficial when you update your long-term strategies and it is also extremely important when talking with investors.

Good luck on your endeavors.
 
Self Storage in San Antonio

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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We have all seen an infomercial or advertisement for something obviously simple, yet necessary or desirable to increase our quality of living. In those moments we think, Why didnt I think of that!

The race to invention is sometimes just that, a race to beat the other guy with the same idea.

However, do not let yourself be discouraged if all the inventions and million-dollar-ideas you come up with are already taken. Who is to say you cannot make a living from those very things anyhow? Many innovations come from improving what someone else has already invented.

So we are right back where we started, walking down the home decoration aisle and thinking we could make that just as easily and save a buck – telling ourselves we could do is better, cheaper.

A note of caution though, there are undoubtedly industries and goods that we dreamers look at and know we are about to bite off more than we can chew. Usually, that does not stop us and we keep on chewing until we are in over our heads.

To be sure, there are professions and industries where the work is best left to the professionals. (Of course, a serious dreamer is now convincing himself that he is a professional – a jack of all trades.) Nothing is stopping you from learning and becoming proficient in any field, but there is certainly something to gain from taking advice and learning from someone more experienced that yourself.

Take home renovation, for example. A first-time homeowner does not even realize that the quick-set screwdriver kit from his rental days is far less than adequate when there is something to repair. However, he probably will not go out and buy a drill, a ladder, a circular saw, a level, a flashlight, a sander, etc just because he might need them. He will collect all those things, one by one as he needs them. Soon enough, he has become somewhat skilled at minor repair work. When it is time to remodel the kitchen, hopefully he has learned enough to know he might need to seek a professional hand.

Business owners are not exempt from thinking they can do everything on their own, for cheaper, either. For someone who has grown a business from the ground up, they may feel uneasy about delegating the operations of their business when it begins to grow. After all, the have nurtured it into existence. However, there comes a time when it is a joy to see that the business has grown so much that more staff or new systems are needed. And it is a relief when those staff and systems are set in place.

Once such area where most small business owners try to be a do-it-yourselfer is the mystery shopping business . The business owner thinks how easy it would be to call the facility himself, acting as his very own mystery shopping business . Then, he asks his wife, brother, cousin, nephew, friend to walk into the store as a customer and conduct their own mystery shopping business survey.

Soon enough, he will realize that his resources have ended, not to mention the time this takes out of his busy schedule. Inevitably, he will call an expert mystery shopping business and allow the professionals to do their job.

Does this mean he has stepped back from impacting the customer service at his store and allow the mystery shopping business to do all the work? No, in fact, a wise business owner will team up with a mystery shopping business and oversee the program.

So you see, whether your passion is crafting your own decoration, improving the value of your home, or running a small business, the advice of a professional home builder, mystery shopping business , or whomever the expert may be is a welcomed thing. Soon enough, you will have learned enough to consider yourself an expert too.

San Antonio Boat Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Real estate property management is used to manage a tenement that is essentially a property that a person (other than the owner) with a license can use for a specific purpose. An easement also has provisions for the usage of tenements. In the case of an easement the owner of an adjacent property (called the dominant tenement) is benefited. It gives the owner of the adjacent property an additional right that comes due to the conveyance of that property. In the case of a license agreement the owner of an adjacent property cannot benefit from the dominant tenement phenomenon. This is because the license happens to be a personal possession.

Real estate property management can be the responsibility of the owner of the property or the owner of the adjacent property in the easement type of agreement. The license differs from an easement and a lease agreement, as it is a privilege given to a person rather than any right that is attached with a property that is applicable to future users of the property. It is a non transferable privilege. A lease and an easement on the other hand are appurtenant rights that can be transferred to the current users of a property. The person having the license to a property does not necessarily have to be an occupant of the property.

The real estate property management team may be the licensed users of a property. Their job is not to occupy a property but to use the premises of the property for specific purposes, for example its maintenance and construction of some new additions to the property. The holder of a license has only the right to use a property and does not have the right for possessing it exclusively. The licensee is given only the non-exclusive usage of a property. The license agreement is similar to the easement agreement in this respect but differs from the lease agreement where exclusive rights to possessions are granted.

The real estate property management professionals are the ones who hold licenses to use a property for performing their duties on the tasks. But they do not have any personal interest in any kind of ownership or occupancy issues of the property that is an essential feature of the easement and lease agreement deeds.  The license can be regarded as a permission given by the owner of the property to a person or professional to conduct activities on the property to the interest of the owner. The owner has the right to withdraw the license whenever he wishes to, but it should be done on fair grounds.

Kansas City Furniture Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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No matter what the fairy tales say, there is not a magic potion available that can make all your dreams come true and make you successful. There is no point to go out to your yard or into a field to collect lots of four leaf clovers. They can bring you as much luck as the cell phone in your pocket that you freak out about when you leave it at home, on the shelf above your toilet, dangling on the edge. Just like that cell phone, it is unsure whether or not there will be a sudden shift in the earth and it will then have to perform a perfect dive in order to get a ten from the West German judge. Just maybe you might return just in time to save your cell phone from the wet and unsanitary demise it could face.

The same thing is true about your business. You are not a time traveler that can go ahead and see what the future state of your business looks like. Sorry, there really is not a flux capacitor or a time machine out there, so you are just going to have to be smart about what you do today and then tomorrow. So since the world could change at any moment and cause all kinds of economic uncertainties, where does that leave you and your business?

You have to be proactive and see what is out there in terms of gaining insight on how to improve your business in the now. There are many companies out there that are running smooth like a well oiled machine and there are companies that are holding on each day by a thread. One of the best ways available today is by hiring a mystery shopper company to do some of work for you. You might ask yourself how a mystery shopper company is going to help me in my business. That is what we are here to discuss.

Many do not know but there are many different aspects of a mystery shopper company . They provide such services as taking surveys of what your employees and your clients think about a particular part of your business. The more insight you get inside and outside of your business the better. The mystery shopper company can interview clients and also shop your associates to ensure they are providing a high level of service to your clients. A shop could be a simple as walking into your business, listening or chatting with your associates as if they are interested in what you are selling them, go home or back to the office and send you a report on their findings.

Before you react quickly to say that you do not have the budget to hire a mystery shopper company , just ask yourself do you have the budget to not have a secured future? No business has a secure future even if they plan or use the services of a mystery shopper company . The key is to ensure that they are being proactive and looking to make improvements daily before it is too late to make changes to your business.

Imagine having a safety net between your cell phone that is about to fall off the shelf and right down the drain. If your business were the phone and the economy the shelf, a shopping company would be your safety net. So what does that make the toilet?

Columbia Boat Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Advice from real estate management firms comes in many types of forms, also according to your express needs. Among advisory services are analyses of resale, turnover, competition rates, demographics and even floor plans for a building or specific business. With multiple experienced employees with combined years of direct experience and supervision of projects like yours, you will be hiring a veritable army of helpful advice, ideas, suggestions, lists, analyses, estimates, plans, strategies, etc. These experienced people can help to make suggestions on improvements to your property, thus making your more money in the long term through their expert knowledge of project performance.

Many times, real estate management firms will give monthly analyses of the market, to keep their clients up to date on any significant changes they need to know about. And with the market as it is today, there could not be a more advantageous aid than this. With someone who knows in detail what your companys needs are and has their finger on the pulse of economy as well, you can know the true state of the market which will allow you to make the best possible decision for your properties. Whether regional or nationwide, you can get comprehensive charts and data that let you get a visual idea of what you are working with when it comes to monitoring the market.

The hire of real estate management firms does not have to be limited to large professional businesses. A small company, or even an individual, may seek the advice of a consultant, for many various reasons. An individual who is wishing to sell, improve, or make updates to his home may wish to hire an experienced consultant to give objective suggestions on what can best be done to make his house sell better. Perhaps someone looking to buy a house is unsure of what they should be looking for, and wishes to meet with a consultant to get the real dirt on the current market before he plunges in. Someone who wants a sort of unspoken guarantee that a normal agent would not be willing or able to give.

Among other things that these companies do are appraisals, extensive developmental projects, new constructions, leasing, property acquisitions, etc. Whether commercial, industrial or residential, these companies usually will provide you with the best possible services that are specific to you and your companys needs. You might pay more at the beginning for such services, but when you see the results, you will be glad you did.

Lake Charles Boat Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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How impressive would it be to be able to let prospects take a look at the property before the ever walk in the door and even have a way to have a potential buyer be able to have a virtual tour? Of course that would be a great advantage to have. Real estate management system solutions are a way to make this idea come to life. With this system, you can take pictures of the property and completely map out how that property actually looks. When potential buyers are not able to physically view the property, this is a great alternative and widens the reach of your market.

Another real estate management system solution is to use it for dynamic property and rental listings. The great thing about this part of the system is to be able to list an unlimited amount of properties. Most times you do not have the option or the capacity on a website in order to post an infinite amount of listings. Who has that many properties for sale at the same time? Well these systems can be to list properties you want to sell or just to be able to keep track of them. This part of the tool gives you the great ability to post your properties online instantly through a copy and past administration portal on your website. Each listing on your website has its own detailed list and information about that property.

With you being the administrator of your real estate management system tools and solutions you can set your site up to where people can come on and post their property to sell. You can set up their listing to be updated and send them a message letting them know when someone is interested in their property. Also you can send out a newsletter to all members that sign in to know about particular properties having an open house or their purchasing costs have changed.

There are many other tools that you can use on a real estate management system . You can set it up to where customers can come online and use a mortgage calculator to see how much one of your listings will cost them. You are able to keep track of all of your agents and how they are doing in terms of selling property. Of course if you do not have agents, this part of the system would not benefit you. There are many companies out there that have agents that work for them and this system allows you to give them praise for their accomplishments.

Every system is different and could contain many aspects. Do not think that there is only one way to manage your properties. Find the one that fits into your budget and the one that gives you the best value. Even though you might find a system that has the best cost value, will it give you all the tools necessary for you to be organized and well prepared for this ever changing market? It is always a task to find the right system for your big or small business. Take your time and invest well.

Merriam Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Most companies look around and see that they are the only company not growing. That would normally make any business owner upset to the point that they would make some drastic changes if necessary to grow their business. What steps are necessary to make a foot hold on the new market that you are in? Do you feel comfortable enough to go and evaluate the competition? If you can see what they are doing differently than you, maybe you can change before you they do.

Before you try to see what all your competitors are doing to gain market share, you should look within the walls of your company first. From the top down to the entry-level job, is everyone doing what is necessary to grow your business from the inside out? That is what a smart business owner would do first. Why waste your time and money out there in your market and discover new ideas when the people within your business cannot perform their current duties?

There has been a program out there for years that some companies have taken advantage of and some companies are to proud to solicit help from. With secret shopping , most companies can see right away that their level of customer service is not as stellar as they thought. With secret shopping , you as a business owner have the insight that you need to make changes within the levels of your business. Do you want to know how the people closest to the customer are treating them? Do you want to know if their experience was so outstanding that they are telling their friends and family? Then the way to do that is through secret shopping .

The secret shopping agents can either arrive in person or call on the phone in order to evaluate your staff. As soon as they hang up or leave your place of business, they begin evaluating what they heard, saw, and then send you a detailed report. They base their presentation off what you desire them to look for and listen to. You know what you want your customers to expect once they visit or come in contact with your facility. The agent is just an extension of your company with and outside perspective. They give you eyes when you cannot see.

The next question is why are you not using this service? Are you scared that you will see something that you already knew about your company, but now it is in the open? Are you unwilling to change your business for the better? The decision is ultimately up to you, but secret shopping can be a great tool that your business can use to grow its prospective clients and make a difference in your workplace.

Key West RV Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Many companies use the secret shopper programs in order to improve their level of customer service. Unfortunately, there are people within those companies who do not believe this program is a good use of company resources. They believe that they know how to sell and how to take care of the customers. They do not even try to learn or take feedback from the evaluations. It is unbelievable the level people go to so they will not have to do something they do not want to do.

If you are a company using secret shopper programs as a way to improve the level of service in your company, we applaud you for you commitment to getting better at your trade. A question to the same people who are using this service, what are you doing with the information? Are you receiving the individual evaluations and just filing them away for safekeeping or are you making sure your employees know they were shopped and they know their results? You can use this as a training tool for them to get better. Otherwise you are wasting your money. Stop wasting your money if you are not going to use secret shopper programs to improve your company.

This might sound like a shock to you, but people in the secret shopper programs work very hard to ensure that each and every employee that you have is getting great feedback from these shoppers or at least a detailed report. You are wasting your money if your people never see it. You are lowering your morale because most people want to be performance managed and you are not using a great tool to do that.

As stated before you have to have people on your team who care about how the company is growing. With people on your team that care to growth, you still might have some profitability coming your way. On the other side of that, how much more could you gain if you had someone who was able to take feedback and criticism? Having someone on your team who is not willing to learn or to help the company get to where they need to be should not be on your payroll. In this market, you have to adapt all the time. If they remain on your payroll, you are paying for future failure.

Dania Beach Car Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Nowadays, a quick click on your real estate property management software can show you a general report of how many outstanding tenant accounts you have and what the status of their account is. For example, you may be able to sort outstanding accounts in descending order, with oldest accounts at the top. Or you could use your management software to sort outstanding accounts beginning with which tenants are still living in the rental property and which have moved out or been evicted.

Your real estate property management software should give you an option for sorting outstanding tenant accounts based on legal course of action. For example, has a notice been left at the residence? Or has the next step been taken and an eviction notice been given to the tenant? Has the tenant been taken to small claims court or are they being prosecuted?

A general search should display results that allow a property owner the opportunity to see a quick list of these references. However, from there, the real estate property management software should allow a property owner the power to zoom into, or pinpoint the focus on exactly what steps have been taken for each tenant.

For example, the real estate property management software may list the tenants in apartment B as being severely overdue. The property owner should be able to select that profile and see the details such as the date the overdue notice was left at the residence, the deadline for payment before eviction processes began, the date an eviction notice was officially given and the date when eviction occurs. In addition, the property owner should be able to see a payment history and account balance of individual accounts.

Another useful tool of management software is that a property owner or management business should be able to access a history of average rental rates. This can be useful in tracking the fluctuation of the market and in judging whether or not a new rental increase is due. If the property owner sees that it has been 5 years since rates have gone up, he or she may consider a rate increase for existing tenants and a higher rental rate for newcomers.

Typically, a property owner will set the rental fee very close to similar properties in the area. If the market will not sustain current rental fees, the rates may even be inclined to lower.

The software should also keep track of profit and loss, beginning with how much is owed against the rental property versus how much income they bring. In addition, the cost of staff, routine maintenance, lawncare, taxes, etc must be factored into making a decision about the profitability of a rental property and should factor into the going monthly rental rate.

Software will also help a property owner keep track of building maintenance schedules, which is an important practice in keeping an investment such as this in top shape.

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Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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When most individuals are looking to invest their hard-earned money into land to build on to they do their research. They do not want to make a bad investment. They are looking to get the most profit out of their decision. In todays market, real estate is unstable but building apartments, condominiums and such are still profitable because someone always needs a place to live. Most people are not coming out on top in selling their homes to make a huge profit. If you are not looking to run your apartment complex yourself you have to find someone who can do it for you. Just like researching land, you also have to research to see which company out there can provide the best property management services out there.

Finding the right company that can provide great property management services is not always an easy task. You can find different companies online or even in the newspaper, but you have to ensure that they are located in your area. With some companies providing property management services, they are located in areas in which they cannot serve you. In smaller markets, your chances to have some diversity of choice will be limited.

There are many different types of care these companies can provide. These property management services are not limited to the client, tenant or land. What kind of expertise do you think these companies can offer? For the client or owner they can, and are not limited to:

• Managing owners monthly mortgage payment
• Managing owners property taxes, insurance or other payments as instructed
• Handling requests for repairs and maintenance
• Arranging and making payment for required repairs or maintenance work
• Paying to owner or depositing to owners account amounts recieved in excess of required disbursements
• Providing owner with fully itemized and computerized monthly reports and year-end accounting statements
• Inspections of the property during lease in order to ensure proper maintenance
• Arranging tenant notices and evictions when necessary
• A final inspection and closing statement, upon tenants vacating the property
• Collecting monthly rents

As you can see, if you can find a good company that can provide great property management services, you have to little except for sit back and watch the profit roll in.

Remember they are not limited to what you saw above. They can also help your business with getting your buildings full of tenants. By utilizing some companies, you will get:

• Comprehensive expertise and knowledge of local laws and market conditions
• Exposure to real estate professionals
• Advertising on the Internet
• Detailed records and accounting reports
• Professional screening of tenants.
• Professional relationship with tenants
• Reduction in tenant turnover and increased occupancy rates through strict screening and constant supervision
• Efficient rent collections

You are in the drivers seat with your individual business. You can try to do it all yourself or find someone or a company who can take all or most of the load off you. With finding the best property management services out there for your budget, you cannot lose. Ensure that you choose wisely.

Secret Shopping

Oklahoma Car Storage

Brooklyn Storage

October 2006 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive

Self Storage Quote Revisited

Self Storage Article Directory – Furniture Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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There can be pros and cons to building a business from scratch as well as to purchasing an existing building.

The pros for building from scratch are that the owner or partners can strategize and customize each detail from the buildings appearance to the location to the niche they will fall into. Building from scratch and starting fresh also means that an owner will not have to battle against any negative publicity or bad reputation an existing business may have had.

Some of the cons of building from scratch are the initial costs. The devil is in the details and things like building and construction licensing, permits, purchasing inventory, advertisements, liquor licensing (if the business is a restaurant or bar) and considerably more than these things will break the bank if an owner does not keep a close eye on cost. It is easy to make small upgrades or changes here and there, but the total bill should be kept within a pre-set budget. Other cons of the building from scratch may be that no name has been made for this business. An owner has to start spreading the word about the business and will most likely have direct competition from businesses who have been there for years and built a loyal customer base.

One of the decisions that many new business owners and well-seasoned business owners alike agree on is commercial property management.

Some business owners use commercial property management services as your realtor and ask them to locate an ideal space to rent. This is a great idea because most real estate agents are in touch with properties for sale, and may not have the right connections for commercial rental property. Commercial property management businesses can easily provide a new business owner with a list of available space for leasing.

Leasing a space for your business is a smart way to offset the costs of building from scratch and a safe way to protect yourself from ending up with a possible money pit. Leased space should include an agreement between the commercial property management company and the tenant to guarantee the tenant with basic things such as available power, gas, water and maintenance of the building. These things can save a business owner money, should something need repair.

On the other hand, the pros for purchasing an existing business are that the time from acquisition to opening the doors to the public is usually less than a few weeks. This means almost zero time spent in construction. Purchasing the right business can be a great turn key experience for a new business owner. Other cons may be that the business you are purchasing is in financial trouble.

The cons for purchasing an existing business are that you may have to sacrifice a little location. The business is probably already established in a building and moving the location can be as costly as building from scratch. 

Commercial property management agencies still come in handy for business owners that want to purchase an existing business. They may have listings of businesses for sale or know of them before they go on the market.

Storage Business 

New Mexico Furniture Storage

Orland Park Storage

May 2007 Self Storage Blog Archive

Car Storage Revisited

Self Storage Article Directory – Self Storage Locations by City

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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In property management there is a lot to think about from a business standpoint. From how much you pay your staff, to how much you pay someone to mow your grass, to how much electricity it takes to raise your computerized gate, these are all things, plus more that you have to look at monthly. In property management, your bottom line is how you see if you are a profitable business or a non-profitable business. When making any decisions, you have to think to yourself, how this decision will create a profit for me in the future. If you are not thinking this way, you are possibly placing your money somewhere it should not be. You could be carelessly throwing your money away.

How do some people in property management attempt to deal with the struggles of everyday life? Most mangers have some type of to-do list or some method of keeping things straight. They make sure that someone comes out and fumigates the facility, building maintenance is performed, etc. They make sure all this is done and also they are protecting the costs associated with these maintenance calls. The managers on site have to take the time to ensure that everything on the site runs smoothly and they are not spending any unnecessary costs.

Being in charge of the property is not an easy task. Most people do not have any idea on what it takes to run an efficient property. It is sure no one can imagine what their everyday life involves unless you have actually been the manager of the property. Most of us can attempt to guess what their job is like form day to day. They sometimes control the pricing of different facilities, the specials that run and the look and feel of the environment. Some managers have to ensure that their staff is trained and able to help each person that calls or walks through their doors. It is not an easy task being in charge of the property. There is more pressure on them than most jobs.

Most people involved in property management will always preach that the first line of defense of your bottom line comes from how well your staff is trained. If they can understand the P and L (profit and loss report) as you do, show them some kind of incentive to reach the goals you establish, your bottom line will be extraordinary. Everyone in your business should understand how you make money and how you lose money. Knowledge is power and now you can empowered your whole staff to make sound business decisions around the bottom line. Some companies give their associates incentives at the end of the year to hit their bottom line goals. Make good decisions and understand what is costing you money and what is making you money. Trim down the costs, and increase the profit. 

Rental Rates

Nebraska Car Storage

Oakland Storage

October 2007 Property Management Blog Archive

Food Storage Revisited 

Self Storage Article Directory – Self Storage Vendors

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Now that you have found self storage and property management facilities, what criteria should you use to select the best self storage facility for you? The most important thing is, location, location, location. You should choose a self storage facility on a busy street with the majority of units visible from the street. Why? Self storage and property management facilities can be a prime target for thieves. If you choose a self storage facility visible from a busy street thieves are more likely to by pass it for more secluded self storage and property management facilities.

You should also look for self storage and property management facilities that have a gated front entrance where a key code or an attendant grants access to the units. The self storage and property management facilities should also be enclosed by a fenced topped with barbed wire or some other type of deterrent to climbing. If you find a self storage facility with an attendant you should determine the hours an attendant works, most facilities do not have 24 hrs attendants and you will only have access during the time an attendant is on duty. Self storage and property management facilities that do not utilize attendants should still have something in place to deter casual visitors. If a key card is used to gain entrance ask if the coding is unique or if the code is a generic code that can be opened by non-official key cards.

You will also want your self storage facility to have several security cameras placed in strategic locations throughout the units. It might seem trivial to want a self storage facility with cameras, but you must remember you are paying this facility to store your belongings. If someone should break into your unit a strategically placed camera might make the difference between recovering your possessions and losing everything. You should also make sure the self storage facility you choose either has security guards who patrol several times during the day and night or an alarm system that is monitored 24 hrs. You should also look for dawn to dusk lighting that illuminates the area around the units.

Now that you have evaluated the security or lack of security at the self storage and property management facilities it is time to move onto amenities. You should look for well spaced units with wide doors, usually the garage door type, which can be secured with your lock. You want a self storage facility that offers fire suppression systems in each unit with fire proof or at least fire resistant walls between units. Depending on what you are storing, you may want a unit that is climate controlled and offers a humidifier or dehumidifier depending on the season.

You should look for self storage and property management facilities that offer well lighted units, preferable track lighting indoors and dawn to dusk lighting outside. The self storage facility you choose should have well maintained grounds, lots of trash barrels and no litter on the ground.
 
Choosing a self storage facility can be just as hard as choosing a place to live. By having a list of your requirement in hand, the decision can be an easy one.

Yacht Storage

Massachusetts RV Storage

Lawrenceville Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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These interactive computer terminals are user friendly and take up very little space. They are connected to the Internet so everything is in real time. These features make the kiosk a perfect property management tool for any sized self storage company, from a small satellite location all the way up to a huge facility located in the middle of a big city. 

The kiosk can rent storage units, take payments, and sell locks and insurance. It is able to do many of the things that a self storage employee can do. The advantage to having a person working at a storage facility is the warm and fuzzy feeling that can come with human contact. The advantage to employing an automated property management kiosk at the location is that the machine does not call in sick, ask for a raise, or demand benefits. 

The kiosk allows customers to rent a new self storage unit without having to rely on a self storage employee. It lets the tenant see a virtual map of the various sized units that are available. This property management device then shows them the different prices and any specials that are currently going on. The customer next picks which unit will work the best for them and proceeds to rent their unit using the kiosk. The new lessee can pay for the unit, get their gate code, and then move into the storage space immediately.

The property management kiosk usually has a camera to take pictures of the new renter and scanners for a copy of a fingerprint and drivers license. The customer signs a digital signature reader. They are able to pay using cash, check, or credit or debit card. Everything is completely legal and secure. An intercom is often available that connects to a self storage employee located offsite or in a call center, in case the new tenant has any questions or problems.

A small self storage location or a satellite property can benefit from using a kiosk. The self storage property management company does not have to hire a person to simply sit around the location, waiting for a customer to arrive. 

A medium sized self storage location can take advantage of a kiosk as well. Customers are able to come to the location after hours and on holidays to pay their bill. They do not have to worry about their money being lost in the mail or misplaced in a drop box. And the property management company can keep costs down by not having to pay an employee overtime, or differential for working Sundays, or time and a half for working holidays.  

A large self storage facility can also benefit from a kiosk. These locations are usually extremely busy and very hectic, with a lot of customers and employees milling around. Tenants do not have to stand in line waiting for a self storage worker in order to rent a unit or make a payment. They can use the property management kiosk and help themselves.

Labor is a large chunk of the costs for running any business, including self storage. The kiosk is a great property management tool that can help alleviate the cost of that labor. This of course means a larger profit for the proprietor of the self storage company.

Self Storage Locations By State

Maine RV Storage

Basalt Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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In the self storage industry, it is crucial to have this mystery shopping feedback so you can ensure your business is doing as well as it could and to get real life examples to your staff. When you hear recordings of a good mystery shopping agent do a good job sounding like a real customer, the execution of a simple script is mediocre. You have some people out there who probably do an awesome job each time they pick up the phone. Mystery shopping challenges you to see what that other half is doing or saying, once that phone is picked up and the conversation begins.

As a property owner, manager, or whatever your title might be, could it hurt you to participate some sort of mystery shopping program? There have been examples of property managers being shopped by a mystery shopping agent and they did not do so well. The mystery shopping agent opened that managers eyes to have them realize that they have to change their approach to the business. It is very hypocritical for you as a manager to expect your people to provide excellent customer service when you do not. It is like one of those parental quotes, Do as I say, not as I do. In most businesses, that will not fly. With mystery shopping, it holds all employees, even managers to the same standard.

Mystery shopping is one of the best ways to track your employees progress and to see how they react to your competition. If you take the information you receive from mystery shopping and use it coach your employees effectively, you will succeed. If you choose not to use mystery shopping for what it is worth, you are losing money in more than one way. You lose money because you are paying for a service you are not reaping the benefit from and you could be getting more production out of your staff if they knew what they could do to improve. Mystery shopping gives you the best real life examples and gets away from the boredom of role-playing. Mystery shopping will produce a lift in your business and your profits will grow. What are you waiting for? Your competition to get smart and use the service before you?

Self Storage Industry 

Louisiana Furniture Storage

San Antonio Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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In property management, some of us run the property differently than others. When it comes to the sales portion of our property management, some of us decide not to tell the caller about any additional costs there are to rent (lock, admin costs, etc) until they come down to the facility. The customer does not deserve that. If they come down ready to move all of their belongings and bring enough money to cover their unit and tax, they will not be too pleased to pay more than what was quoted on the phone. In your property management, ensure the caller knows what they are paying for, or any extras they need, before they rent with you. You can maintain that great relationship with the caller if you do so. 

In property management, you are trying to get your property to grow. The relationships you build with customers are one of the ways you will grow your business. Most people involved in property management, want their people to ask for credit cards over the phone in order to hold the space for the caller. When trying to get the caller to reserve a space with a credit card, sometimes that could be done better. Instead of just offering to have the space held, tell the caller why they benefit from giving you their credit card. In property management, your business could grow if a customer can understand limited availability or ensuring that they get the great special that was offered. They will not enjoy the fact that you are pressuring them to give you their credit card with no tie in to why they should give it to you. Would you just give your credit card to a person that says something like, You can hold this space if you give me your credit card. In that statement, most people would figure they have many spaces so they do not need to give them a credit card over the phone. In property management, you have to teach your employees to show the caller some value when asking for their credit card. Their credit card is their identity. In property management, your job is not always going to be sales, but you are there to ensure the customer has a great experience while they are renting from you. Protecting their identity would be something the customer would appreciate.

In property management, we have people that are there to help the customers that call or come into our building. In property management, you should take the time to ensure that your associates treat them as they would want to be treated. Make sure the customers are not pressure them. Your associates should take the time to develop a relationship and take care of their needs. Do not surprise them with extra costs, as you would not like to be. Take care of them now and they will refer people to your facility or rent with you for a long time. In property management it is your job to either be the one to ensure customer satisfaction, or appoint someone to do the job. Make sure your customers are taken care of.

Property Management

Kansas RV Storage

Jefferson City Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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There are many self storage and secret shopping facilities in the US. Some self storage companies have many facilities and their facilities fill up completely. And they are big stores, lots of self storage and the need for secret shopping services. It is not only the students that fill them up but they do take the majority of the units. Do not think that if you have great business coming in the door that you do not need secret shopping services. Secret shopping is a great way to monitor your self storage business.
 
Most students want a 5×5 space. All they have are dorm things, a 5×5 space is about the size of small bathroom so this size works perfect for them. And besides they are so excited about leaving for the summer they just throw their things in there. Now the ones who are smart about it, will get with several of there friends and get a larger self storage unit and split the cost. That really saves then some money, and we all have heard of the poor college students who eat noodles all semester long. So they like saving money.
 
The 10×10 size usually works well for them. That is a size like a small bedroom size. And really it would hold a full bedroom and living room, some kitchen things and maybe even a washer and dryer just depending on how they utilize the space. So the students will get with three or four friends put their things in together and save money. Only thing with this is one person does have to be responsible for the bill.
 
The self storage and secret shopping industry has grown so much in college towns like Columbia, Missouri. The self storage companies with many locations can still grow. So they will be for sure to help accommodate a lot of students in their self storage needs. And they will probably need more secret shopping services as well. Secret shopping can help your business grow. Try secret shopping for your self storage buisness.  

Now May will come and those procrastinators will call and we will try to the best of our ability to find them a self storage unit. If there is not a small one left then we will suggest maybe sharing with friends but nonetheless we will try to help, and hope we still have something left.

So spring is here. The birds are singing the daffodils are blooming and if you are a student do not procrastinate try something new this year, call early.

Self Storage Owner

Iowa Furniture Storage

Columbia Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Many companies use the secret shopping program in order to improve their level of customer service. Unfortunately, there are people within those companies who do not believe secret shopping is a good use of company resources. They believe that they know who to sell and how to take care of the customers. They do not even try to learn or take feedback from the secret shopping evaluation. It is unbelievable the level people go to so they will not have to do something they do not want to do.

If a manager at a self storage facility absolutely refused to learn anything from a secret shopping agent, what is the value of that employee? Or of any employee who outright refuses to participate or cooperate? What if the manager, when the secret shopping agent revealed himself or herself as a secret shopper, started getting angry and frustrated? A professional secret shopping agent would still attempt to go over the call with the manager. However, some managers go on to tell the secret shopping agent about their years of sales experience or that they dp not need anyone to coach them on how to sell. In some extreme cases, employees being shopped will become enraged and say how much of a waste of time the call was or even how stupid secret shopping is.

Such extreme behavior is few and far between in the secret shopping industry, but when it does occur it can be a shocking experience for the secret shopping agent. The best way to handle these cases is to end the secret shop or training and the secret shopping agent can give it to their boss so that the client can see the results immediately.

As stated before, you have to have people on your team who care about how the company is growing. With people on your team in the example above, you can not be sure your company goals are being met or that customers are being treated respectably, but they could be doing a great job. On the other hand, how much more could you gain if you had someone who was able to take feedback and criticism? Having someone on your team who is not willing to learn or to help the company get to where they need to be is a risk that some self storage business owners do not take.

Key West Self Storage

Indiana Boat Storage

Lexington Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Part of the job responsibilities of property management is taking the customer on a tour of the self storage facility once they arrive.  It is important for property management to have some type of plan in place, knowing how long the tour will take and what you want the new tenant to see and know. Try and have the time prearranged for a meeting so you do not have to rush through it.  For many self storage customers this is the first time they have ever rented self storage before and this gives them the opportunity to see how the whole process works.  For the seasoned self storage veteran this gives them the opportunity to see what they may have missed before storing elsewhere and what your self storage facility has to offer.

Property management should be prepared by having the self storage units cleaned and ready for inspection, a variety of locks on hand for point of sale once at the self storage unit, and any information given from previous contact with the self storage customer. If possible have a self storage lease agreement preprinted for a quick and hassle free checkout when done with the tour. 

The property management tour itself should have a beginning, middle and end. First impressions of course are crucial so always smile, use the self storage customers name and have a professional appearance. After the meet and greet take whatever form of transportation, your legs or a people mover, and begin showcasing your self storage facility. Remember as the tour guide and property management you are the expert and you are reinforcing that image by your knowledge of the self storage facilitys history, construction, and pointing out features. Property management should narrate the process so the self storage customer can visualize the experience and what it would be like to store there.

When property management arrives at the self storage unit, again, help the customer visualize what they will be storing and the process by demonstrating the particulars of the unit. Open the door, show them the light switch, operate the alarm if any, and get them comfortable with the unit.  Now is a good time for property management to ask if they have any questions and ask for the sale. By this middle stage the customer should be ready to rent because showing them and helping them understand the process also helps close the sale. 

As you wind the tour down on the way back to the property management office the customer should feel relaxed, comfortable, and be ready to sign the self storage lease agreement.  Now is a good time to share a little personal information about the property management with the customer and get to know them maybe even be able to recommend a good local restaurant or two. You may not have a bullhorn, maps to the stars homes, or a double-deck tour bus but for your new self storage tenant it was certainly worth the price of admission. 

Self Storage Business

Hawaii Self Storage

Miramar Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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In property management, the hardest part is finding a property to manage. If you are an individual, that is a self-starter and passionate, you can represent yourself well and find a facility that is in need of property management. You can search the paper, Internet or just hear by word or mouth, but there are opportunities out there. Unfortunately, to begin, you need experience. Most people who are looking for property management mangers and do not want to take a chance that an inexperienced person is managing their property.

With property management, you have to have the desire to grow and learn. You will always encounter something that you have not seen before. Some people decide to live on the property they are managing so they do not have to drive long distances to take care of the problem. You have to have an extreme amount of patience to be in property management. We all can think back to a time in which we were a pain to our property owners or we know friends that gave the property management team a hard time. Now, you will be on the side that will handle all the problems. In property management, you have to be ready for whatever comes your way. Then again, how can you be ready for the unknown?

That is where experience comes in to play. Sometimes, being humble enough to realize that you do not know a lot about property management could help you in the future. You can take the time to get involved with a property management company that will train you and send you to classes. That is one of the best ways to have the training behind you, which will give you a potentially better success rate in property management. Still, after all that is said and done, it is up to you to make the property a success.

Every property management system is different. Whether you are managing a self storage facility or an apartment complex your goal is the same, to make money. With storage or apartment rentals, you have to get your facility to reach capacity. The company or individual that owns the property has to pay for the property. Well that make sense, but they can not afford to pay for the property if there are more vacancies than occupied units. As a property manager, you need to be proactive and find a way to get people to rent spaces or apartments from you. You could place an ad for great value in storage or you can go to local businesses and collaborate with them to advertise your facility. There is no end to the ways you can fill your facility and make a huge profit. The key is that you have to motivate yourself and think outside the box a little to make it happen.

Getting involved in property management could be a daunting task. You have to put a lot of energy and time into making it successful. It is certain, in the end it could be very profitable for you and the owner.

Self Storage Business 

Delaware Car Storage

Kansas City Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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One of the first avenues you can take to understand property management is by enrolling in property management classes. These classes, depending on the area you live, can be taken online or within a classroom. Over 50 different online universities specialize in property management and a variety of classroom type schools as well. There is one school out there based out of California that offers a complete 16 course comprehensive teaching around property management. They help you understand the complete ins and outs of how to manage a property. They offer sixteen courses from tenant relations to marketing. After you complete the course, you are certified in property management and then you have access to be a part of a variety of companies that are involved in the property management field. From there, it is solely up to you on how profitable you would like to be because then it is on you to take what you have learned and apply it.

Now, some of you are thinking that is all you need to get into property management. We all know that just because we go to school for a particular field, does not mean that we can go out there and be profitable at the beginning. Just because we know the football has to go in the end zone to score points, does not always mean that we know how to get into the end zone. After or in the place of school, some people take the road of finding someone or a company involved in property management to learn from. This is where you can take either the knowledge that you know or the knowledge that you learn, and apply it. There are many companies out there involved in property management, and just like most companies, you might have to start at the bottom and move up to the top. Some people think they can take on property management on their own without experience only to realize clients are looking for experienced individuals to run their properties.

Whatever path you decide to take in learning about property management, it is still up to you to apply that information in order to be successful. You have to be driven, organized, and business minded in order to take on such a demanding profession. Property management can make you a very profitable and you can have a great life financially if you are willing to do the hard work involved. Do not get into the property management field unless you are ready to take on that workload. Get as much information as you can, study, look at all aspects of property management, and then you can decide and see where you sign up.

Self Storage Article Directory 

Arkansas Furniture Storage

Merriam Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Now do not get it wrong. We are not saying that the property managers do not know how to do their job or do not know what their managers are going through. It is just being said that maybe a property owner should work in a store for a day or two and see how it is for your managers. Then, while working, a secret shopping agent gives them a call to see how they handle the customers. The secret shopping agent could call a couple of different times in the day just to catch the property owners at different situations. This will give the manager a snap shot of what is really like for the property managers to be shopped when they are least expecting it. This will allow managers to maybe rethink how they coach and train their associates around customer service.

There was an example of a manager of a large retail store being involved in secret shopping. He was in his department and a regular customer, or so he thought, came in to ask for assistance. The secret shopping agent proceeded to go along with the shop even though they identified he was a manager. It just so happens that same manager was shopped again in a different part of the store that same week. Both scores came back from the secret shopping agent and it revealed some interesting things for the general manager. It showed that even the leaders of the departments were inconsistent in their customer service presentations. One score was over a 90 percent, which their individual secret shopping score goal was 85 percent. The second score was a 56 percent very sub-par.  The manager was pulled into the general managers office where they had a conversation around consistency and expectations of a department manager.

So what does this show us? This shows us that even the property owners have some opportunities in the area of being consistent around customer service. They would not know that unless secret shopping assisted the manager in the example above. The secret shopping evaluation opened his eyes to show him that if he is not consistent, how can he expect his people to be. How can a property owner that expects a certain level of service receive such low secret shopping scores?

Maybe we all need to put ourselves in the shoes of our employees. We can go out there and sell just like them. We can take calls just like them. We can also receive customer issues just like them and see what they go through on a daily basis. After going through all of that, then we can see what our secret shopping scores would be.

OR Storage Units

StorageMart Odenton, Maryland 21114

Self Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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California real estate management with regard to residential real estate can consist of managing condominium units or large apartment complexes. There are various duties performed for each type of property and anyone who is seeking to go into California real estate management in the residential spectrum should be familiar with all aspects including tenant versus property owner laws, building codes, etc. Professionals in the real estate management industry in California will also need to understand their duty to act on behalf of the property owner, not on behalf of the tenant.

Large apartment complexes usually employ a property management service to oversee the complex. In California, real estate management for a large apartment complex might include collecting rent checks, running credit checks on prospective tenants, advertising for tenants, paying building upkeep and salaries to anyone who works in the building, such as the custodian or security personnel. Other duties in California real estate management for a large apartment complex might include taking care of all common area maintenance including parking lots, garages, pools, lounges and recreational areas. The property management service will also be making sure real estate taxes have been paid and paying common utilities. Lawn care, sprinkler systems and upkeep of the building all falls on the shoulders of the California real estate management team. 

Another thing a person should know when getting into California real estate management is the landlord tenant laws. It will be up to the California real estate management team to make sure that the lease is executed properly. Any questions regarding the lease from the tenant will most likely be addressed to the property manager, so it is important for anyone in California real estate management to have a good understanding of the California landlord tenant laws. 

Many people who work in the California real estate management arena deal with condominium management. If you are interested in learning about this aspect of the job, you will have to learn about the bylaws and association declaration laws in the state of California.  As condominiums are owned by those who live in them, there are no tenant landlord leases,  however, the declaration laws can must be adhered to by the owners. While the owners cannot be evicted, if they do not pay their assessments, a lien can be placed on their property. Anyone who works in California real estate management should understand the lien laws and how to place a lien on a piece of property. 

Despite the fact that the California residential real estate market is in the dumps, there is still quite a bit of opportunity for anyone in California real estate management to advance in this profession. California real estate management can be a lucrative career for anyone who is interested in real estate, either residential or commercial, and who is willing to take the necessary preparation courses to learn about this field. 

California real estate management is a blossoming field and one in which anyone who is interested in real estate and is willing to learn, can excel. 

ND Storage Units

StorageMart Willits & Park . Basalt, CO 81621

Car Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Real estate management New York can be hectic, especially if you are managing commercial buildings in the city of New York. There are many different aspects when it comes to property management. There is both commercial and residential real estate management. New York is both a state and a city and real estate management New York can be involved or simple, depending on the property. 

Commercial real estate management New York in the city can be challenging. Most people who work in this field go to school to learn the aspects of the job. In addition to learning about commercial real estate law, anyone in this field needs to know about construction law as many of the commercial buildings are being revamped. 

New construction real estate management in New York involves knowledge of the lien laws as well as financing information. Once the financing is approved for a project, it is up to the real estate management New York team to see that payouts are made to the contractors and sub contractors on a timely basis, but still save the building owner money. Whenever a payout is made on new construction, the interest rate for the loan begins immediately. When speaking about a large commercial project in the city of New York, this could mean tens of thousands of dollars a day. It is important to have had the proper training before taking on such a large project, which is why many real estate management New York agents study under an advisor before flying solo.

While there is software to help those who work in real estate management New York, knowledge of the field and particularly the laws regulating the real estate industry are crucial. Someone who wants to get into real estate management in New York needs to attend classes including those that teach commercial and residential real estate law. While the two fields are synonymous with one another, someone who works in commercial real estate management New York will probably not work in the residential aspect of the field and vice versa. 

Residential real estate management New York, especially in the city, can also be very involved. This encompasses managing condominium buildings and includes figuring out assessment fees. As many of the condominium units in the city of New York vary when it comes to square footage, they are usually charged per square foot for assessment fees.  This can be determined by using property management software. In addition to assessments, common area maintenance is also figured on a square footage basis. 

People working in real estate management New York can expect to earn good money in this field, particularly with commercial real estate experience. Although the residential real estate market in New York when it comes to sales has plummeted, when it comes to property management, the field is burgeoning. Real estate management New York is an exciting and very prosperous field in which to practice. 

Tennessee Storage Units

StorageMart San Pablo. Oakland, CA 94612

Boat Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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If the caller gets a rep from our company to answer his or her questions pertaining to renting a storage unit, the potential renter will know these things.

What size unit they will need or what size unit will work for them
They will know the amenities of the self storage facility they are looking to rent a storage unit at
Monthly rent and any other information they need to know when it comes to renting a storage unit
Any specials, discounts, free trucks, etc.
The types of unit the self storage facility offers (climate controlled, ground level, etc.)
Directions to the property
How the facility does their billing (anniversary date, monthly, etc.)

It can seem to be a bit nerve-wracking to pay for a service or a product a potential renter has never had before.  The call may feel as though they have no idea what they are doing or how to go about renting a storage unit from a property management company.  The caller will eventually feel confident enough to rent a storage unit from the property management company at the end of the conversation. They will breathe a sigh of relief once having realized that renting a storage unit is easier to do than they thought.  The potential renter will end up making a statement like, they had no idea how easy it was to rent a storage unit from a property management company.  The potential renter feels confident in the reservation they just made even though the caller has never seen the self storage unit they are going to rent or the self storage facility for that matter.  When all the tools necessary to be able to assist the potential renter are readily there and available, renting a storage unit from the property management company will be one of the easiest things a potential renter will find they will have ever done. The main reason why people feel renting a storage unit from a property management company may be stressful is because they may feel they need to make several phone calls to several self storage facilities or visit several self storage facilities before renting a storage unit from a property management company.  Renting a storage unit is easy, especially when you have our company reps helping potential renters on their storage needs from a property management company.

Colorado Storage Units

StorageMart Butterfield & York Hillside, IL 60162

Wine Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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When filing out the papers for our storage and property management company, it is easy to place them in numerical order. They also come with a sheet that says if the paper succeeded, if that second sheet says that it failed you then will refax the sheet and it will see if the sheet went though. If it does not then someone will call the storage company and they leave a message to the property management company saying all the information on the sheet like, what type of storage unit the customer is interested in and if they offered any specials. If the fax is successful then you will hear a beep and that indicates that the fax has went through and you do not have to leave a message with the property management company. Many calls are taken for self storage and many property management company businesses. 

When taking property management company phone calls, you should always ask for the name of the caller. Asking them what they are interested in storing and what size they need.  Knowing what size storage they need is important to helping the customer. Giving them options about climate controlled storage and sizes will help you complete the helping of the self storage or property management company client Also, the customer will tell you that they will want to store with you. Gathering the customers information so that it is sent to the self storage or property management company manager is vital to the communication link. The more information that you can get from the customer while still controlling the call will help the actual store manager when they receive the information. By asking the right questions, you should be able to find out why the caller needs storage and this information should be included in the document sent to the self storage or property management company manager. Our system immediately sends the information gathered by the telephone rep to the appropriate store manager so that no time is lost. Many times when someone is calling about self storage they are already on the way over to the site. By sending the information to the self storage and property management company in real time, the manager on site will have the document in hand, ready to help the customer.

Arizona Storage Units

StorageMart Columbia St & Dunlap Milledgeville, GA 31061

Boat Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Good rental property management is the only way to properly handle real estate investing.  Any legitimate rental property management group knows it is any great and successful business.  Good rental property management is the only way to properly handle real estate investing.  The key to successful rental property management is to keep your renters in their seat, as they say in the restaurant business.  Rental property management helps rental property landlords locate qualified tenants for their rentals.  A major element in rental property management is the maintenance and repair of the physical property, to not only preserve and enhance the communitys value, but to keep all facilities in the best condition for use by residents and guests. Through the daily tasks of rental property management, your renters are going to be more likely to renew a lease. This is why it is key to find a company that will ensure your clients are well taken care of.

Management practices that preserve affordable housing rental property management is a distinct profession and a difficult task under normal circumstances.  Rental property management also generally includes leasing, collecting rent, keeping records, making repairs, and carrying out preventive maintenance.  One of the keys to success with rental property management is collecting rent in an efficient and timely manner.  Because of years of experience in managing all types of property, most companies can also provide to the owner or investor the type of rental property management that can enhance the value of the property.  Most companies believe that rental property management is a full time business and it deserves their full time attention.  When you find the right rental property management company, owning property in the US or any other country for that matter can and should be both a personally and financially rewarding experience. 

If you are considering a career in real estate trading services or sales, rental property management services, or strata management services, you should know that it would require a license to provide those services. Some business owners would prefer to do it themselves but with so many excellent, reputable companies available nowadays there is no need. Rental property management companies are ideal, whether you run your rental property business yourself or have a management team working with you. Managing rental property has many legal facets every landlord should be knowledgeable about.  With a rental property management service, you save valuable time and energy. Thus allowing you as an owner to spend more time focusing on your other business investments or pursuing other goals, knowing that your rental property management company is taking care of all the daily tasks.

StorageMart US Hwy 1 & 3rd St. Key West, FL 33040

Shopping

Property

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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You can joke about how many property managers it takes to change a light bulb, but if all property managers and secret shopping businesses changed the light bulbs at their self storage facility to energy saving bulbs, just think of how much energy the self storage and secret shopping industry can save the United States. Implementing this bright idea will not only save money on utility bills, it also will reduce our dependence of foreign energy sources.
 
Energy Star already put into practice this green design idea in many communities around the country. They call it Change A Light, Change A World and its objective it to promote energy efficiency and conservation in America. The concept is so simple that it is as easy as changing a light bulb, literally.

Where to start with this green design? Start by changing all the light bulbs in your office, secret shopping business and showroom floor. The highest used fixtures in an office are usually above your head, but typically the break room lights, ceiling fan light, and bathroom lights are commonly used as well. Check the display cases and replace those bulbs as well if they are not energy efficient.

Many self storage and secret shopping businesses take pride in being safe and secure. But a huge part in security is having a well lighted facility. Now a storage property should not sacrifice security for a greater green design. However, they don’t have to. Replacing security lighting with energy star light bulbs will allow property managers to continue to promote security while saving energy at the same time. Replace the bulbs in each storage unit too; there are hundred of them, depending on the self storage property size. Secret shopping your competitors will let you know if they are interested in green design. Mention in advertising that your self storage and secret shopping facility is doing their part to help the environment.   

Now changing light bulbs all at once is expensive and wasteful. If an immediate change is out of the question then make it your green design plan to change the lighting to energy star bulbs when the existing bulbs burn out in your secret shopping and self storage business. See if your light bulb vender will swap your unused incandescent light bulbs for energy star light bulbs.

Green design doesn’t have to end at the self storage and secret shopping property. If property managers and secret shopping managers take a pledge to change the light bulbs in their homes to energy star, the campaign will expand to the neighborhoods. Environmental responsibility doesn’t end at the workplace. Taking care of the environment is a 24 hour job. The harder we work at it as a society, the greater the payoffs. 

Nevada Storage Units

BMA Mystery Shops

Rivergate location, 2360 Gallatin Rd, Madison, TN 37115

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Many retailers are finding out that even small changes make huge differences in efficiency. One major retailer found out that if they took out the light bulbs in the break room vending machines at every location, they would save 1 million dollars a year. Kudos to them for thinking outside of the box and finding a simple energy solution. And that is what it takes sometimes to find simple solutions, thinking outside of the box. Just look around your office and notice what is using electricity. For instance, microwaves and coffee makers use constant power to keep the clocks running. But how many people rely on those clocks? Now, one microwave oven and coffee maker uses only milliamps to maintain the time. But if everyone in the self storage industry were to unplug them from the outlet when not in use, we would save mega wattage.

Other larger big house retailers have made it their goal to find major innovative renewable energy resources to run their business more efficiently. Experiments to cut wastes include studying everything from recycling cooking oil to testing wind power. Some retailers’ green design includes building new stores with skylights that bring in natural light. From this they can keep the light switch turned off and the heater on low during the day. Instead of skylights, some retailers are installing solar paneling on the roof. This takes them off the grid and keeps them independent from tradition fossil fuel energy resources. 

The self storage industry needs to join the car pool of other retailers with green design plans. Storage property managers can ask customers to bring back moving boxes and other packaging supplies to the self storage facility where they can be reused or recycled. Most self storage properties have vending machines with continuous lighting. Property managers should steel the idea removing the light bulbs. The beverage companies profit from businesses with vending machines on the business’s energy expense. Where do you think they plug in the machine at; it’s not at their own plant. Each individual self storage unit does not use much energy to power. However, that should not stop property managers from installing solar panels. It still follows the green design by cutting cost and helping the environment. On the other hand, climate control units use a great deal of energy to keep storage at a consistent temperature. If property managers can get them to run by solar power, it would make a world of a difference.

If the self storage industry doesn’t come up with a green design plan, then the government will and that is not always good. So far the government has let many industries search for solutions to improve the environment, but if we are not ahead of the game with a green design plan, it will be mandated.  

Written by Kurt Schellenberger

Storage Concierge is your premier Storage, Storage Unit, Car Storage, RV Storage, Furniture Storage, Boat Storage, Yacht Storage and Self Storage Finder.

Massachusetts Storage Units

Storage Unit

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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We all have to start somewhere. Think about it. What do you love to do? Is it sales or property management? These are important questions. Whatever it is, it starts with setting goals, and we all need them. Whether your goal is to be property management or win a hot dog eating contest at a State Fair, goals are what motivate us to do better. Your dream might be to become the best property manager, but you need smaller goals to get there. If you don’t have goals, you’re not going to have dreams. The goals are the achievements along the way to your dream. The self storage industry assigns property managers goals, but these are not personal goals. Those goals are what the self storage business expects from you. Personal goals are what give us that inner fire to beat the industry given goals.  

No one said it is not going to be easy. When we grow up we go through tough growing pains. The pains also exist during our personal growth. The road to becoming the best property management is a bumpy one. At times you may fail, but the trick is to learn from the mistakes.

Don’t be bashful about selecting role models. Role models can be anyone including other property management. If you see a fellow property manager doing something you want to do, analyze him until you figure out how to do it. There are no laws stating on how many role models you can have. Anytime you see someone doing something remarkable to you, study and mimic what they do.

Everyone who is considered the best never achieved that status by doing it alone. Property management needs to surround himself with the right people and staff. Don’t just hire staff that meets the minimum qualification for the job. Hire goal driven staff members. These staff members are self motivated and go beyond the call of duty.

Written by Kurt Schellenberger

Storage Concierge is your premier Storage, Storage Unit, Car Storage, RV Storage, Furniture Storage, Boat Storage, Yacht Storage and Self Storage Finder.

Louisiana Storage Units 

Local Self Storage Units

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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This method of business analysis can be utilized with a variety of businesses and industries, not just the self storage industry. All businesses typically have the same expenses in varying degrees, such as payroll, insurance, advertising, maintenance, office supplies, and taxes. While every industry will differ in their competitive analysis and means of how income is earned (i.e. retail, food, production, real estate, etc.), it all comes down to a hurdle rate of return that must be met for investors, and an evaluation of the level of risk that the opportunity presents.  It is not rocket science and does not require a college degree (though it would help tremendously). All it requires is knowledge of the industry, the specific market embarked upon, and accurate analysis of critical operating information.

CO Storage Units

Self Storage Article Directory. Visit our Car Storage Section.

Storage Unit

Storage Units

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS agent

Self Storage 

Self Storage Article Directory.   Visit our Self Storage Locations by City Section

Property Management

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS agent.  

Storage 

Self Storage Article Directory  Visit our Self Storage Section.   

Property Management   

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Written by Brice Bernskoetter

Storage

Self Storage Article Directory. Visit our Furniture Storage Section.

Property Management

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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It is typically difficult to get all information needed to accurately model an acquisition in a timely manner. This is due to the vast amount of information that must be processed in a short due diligence period as well as the type of ownership, mom and pop sole proprietorships. The key items needed to evaluate a self storage facility—obtained  from the operator—are the unit mix, rent roll, financial statements (and all actual bills and bank deposits), occupancy history, site plan, and environmental report. Competitive analysis must also be done to fully evaluate the business. This involves mapping competing facilities, obtaining their rental rates and other information about the facility, such as security features, retail products, and other amenities. Competitors should be compared to the targeted acquisition, based on all amenities as well as quality of location based traffic counts, street size, visibility, accessibility, neighborhood quality and demographics.

Written by Brice Bernskoetter

Self Storage

Self Storage Article Directory. Visit our Self Storage Advertising and Marketing Section.

Secret Shopping 

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS agent.

Self Storage

Self Storage Article Directory. Visit our Self Storage Locations by State Section.

Secret Shopping

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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The PhoneSmart Total Quality Assurance department can be your complete Sales Training Management business. Our services work magic when combined. For example, PhoneSmart can complete a sales training seminar or conference call so that all employees can learn or refresh their basic sales fundamentals. From there, we will perform monthly tests and check with Feedback Secret Shopping, Mystery Shopping and other secret shopping methods. Managers can also call us for help by participating in our Role Play Helpline where they’ll get one-on-one training with one of our reps from our highly trained and energetic sales floor team.

It’s common sense that a self storage owner needs some sort of property management system, whether internal or from an outside source. Isn’t it just as important that some one manage and care for the facility managers that determine how successful your business is? You can call PhoneSmart today at 866-639-1715.

Written by Sarah Little, TQA Director

Self Storage

Self Storage Article Directory. Visit our Self Storage Advertising and Marketing Section.

Secret Shopping

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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On Sunday December 9th, an ice storm closed PhoneSmart Call Center doors because of Saturday night’s bad weather.  The roads were too icy and treacherous for employees to drive on and the number of car accidents in town, proved it.  Many of our employees couldn’t even make it out of their own driveways. 

On Sunday night the city had concentrated most of their efforts on the main roads to make sure they were as drivable as they could be, and then handled the side roads.  Monday we were back in business.  As the weatherman tracked the next big ice storm, which was headed directly for us, we kept track too. This one was the big one.  The ice storm that could potentially shut down power all over the city. We wanted to make sure that PhoneSmart would not close again as we still wanted to be able to answer self storage calls and give self storage quotes for our clients.  But how could we ensure that we would be able to stay open since we were in the path of it?

To Tron, the answer was simple.  Have employees spend the night at PhoneSmart!  But would anyone volunteer for it?  We had 3 employees who did. Liz, DJ and myself were up for the challenge.   We weren’t worried as we have a back up generator in case the power goes out.  Tron purchased a couple of sleeping bags, air mattresses, flashlights, candles and tons of snacks.  The cheesecake was delicious!  Yum!  And since I’ve not heard of any other businesses spending the night at their place of work just to make sure that it would be business as usual, I had to write this self storage blog.  

Luckily the stormed shifted its direction and just missed us, only giving us a lot of rain.  The next morning could still have been treacherous if that rain had turned to ice by morning.  Some say that the reason we didn’t get the eye of the storm was because we did stay the night.  Had we not stayed the night, we would’ve had the bad weather and PhoneSmart doors could’ve been closed again.   

Written by Robin Turner, Call Center Co-Director

Self Storage

Self Storage Article Directory. Visit our Car Storage Section.

Secret Shopping

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Many of our PhoneSmart client locations, especially in Oklahoma and Kansas self storage, lost electricity and phone service this past week due to severe ice storms.  PhoneSmart phone reps were able to keep callers abreast of the progress of the utility crews and the conditions of their local storage facility.

A woman from Maryland called.  She wanted to let the local store manager know that there were several young kids playing on the pond behind the storage facility.  Even though it was cold outside and schools were called off, she was concerned that the ice was not thick enough and someone could get hurt.  I was able to relay the message to that particular store manager.

It is only a couple of weeks until Christmas so many of our PhoneSmart self storage clients are closing their stores early on a particular day to have a holiday party. PhoneSmart reps are able to explain this to callers and give them the option to leave a voice mail message, or to call back during office hours the following day.

PhoneSmart reps are here to help our clients rent units to new customers, but we are also here to help answer questions and assist callers in any way we can.  We are so much better than just a simple answering machine!

Written by Ann Sheehan, PhoneSmart Call Center Representative.

Self Storage 

Self Storage Article Directory 

Property Management   

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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I am embarrassed to say that I currently pay more each month for two cell phones than my utilities cost. When I saw the last bill I was exasperated; how could those charges be justified? My husband uses nearly 600 minutes each month making self storage secret shopping calls, keep in mind those are all daytime/ peak minutes. We had to find a better solution.

He checked into some bundling packages offered by various providers in the area. We found a package that would include Direct TV, DSL and a land line for $60 per month. When we looked to see what our current internet/ cable provider had to offer in the way of bundles, they only had good deals for new customers.

Being loyal, and mostly too lazy to go to the trouble to switch all that, we called our current provider and asked them if they had any specials for current customers. This was the representatives reply:

Representative: No, we only care about new customers and that’s why we offer them the good deals. This is why we lose most of our business.

She then cracked a smile; that was her attempt at humoring us. She went on to say: We all tell our managers that we keep losing business and that we need to offer these deals to current customers, but our suggestions fall on deaf ears.

Wow! This is a huge company and they’ve become the victim of their own massive size. Oftentimes, the workers who actually perform the day to day job can give suggestions that would save a company thousands of dollars, or in this case, thousands of customers.

Let the self storage industry take a lesson from them. As our storage corporations and franchises grow, we amass single properties into our company. Let’s not forget the people who live and work at those facilities and the value of their input.

Think about it; you could be headquartered in Georgia. How do you know the local self storage needs of your Odenton, Maryland self storage location? The managers at your facilities are the most valuable resource you have. Listen to them.

Written by Sarah Little, TQA Director

Self Storage

Self Storage Article Directory

Secret Shopping Blog

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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I was on the plane with a group of pre-teen or early teen kids who, some of whom were flying for the very first time. I got some smiles remembering how awesome it is the first few times. It still is amazing to fly so fast and so high and move so many miles in such little time.  I might be flying over Lake Charles self storage right now. But these days, I’d rather take a nap than spend the whole flight examining the landscapes.

I intend to do some good eating while here in New Orleans and get some great inspiration for our next service or product offering.

Written by Tron Jordheim, Director of PhoneSmart

Self Storage 

Self Storage Article Directory  

Secret Shopping Blog

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS executive.

Total quality Assurance Services is brought to you by PhoneSmart – A quality assurance firm.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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A year sounds like a long time when it involves waiting. Take pregnancy for example, those nine months seem never ending when you’re at the start of it.

A year is such a short time when you look back on it and wonder where the time went. Once you’ve reached the end of pregnancy, you can’t remember what it was like not to have another person kicking from your womb. You want it to be over, yet you miss it when those flutters are gone.

Each of us have forged new friendships, or maybe let go of some one. Your self storage business isn’t unlike a human life in that business has relationships and experiences. When it comes down to it, business is dependant on the people and relationships that make up the whole part.

The deals and new innovations you’ve handled with care are like your babies; you see them grow from an idea into plans and successes. At the start of a new idea you may have felt overwhelmed or nervous about how things would turn out. Somewhere in the middle of the process, you became confident and the end result was more than you had imagined.

Take the time to reflect on the past year you’ve had in the self storage industry. What can you be proud of as an individual and what goals have your company reached as a whole? Take the time to appreciate those who helped you meet your goals. A little recognition to your self storage managers, partners and vendors can give them just the boost they needed to keep doing an excellent job; send them something nice for this Thanksgiving.

Written by Sarah Little, TQA Director

Total Quality Assurance Services is brought to you by PhoneSmart – A quality assurance firm .

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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The PhoneSmart Call Center has bi lingual call center representatives on staff, everyday. Because we are open a generous amount of the day (longer than most store hours) we can catch those missed self storage calls. Some clients have the press 1, press 2 option installed on their greeting so Spanish calls go directly to the reps that are bi lingual. Other times, when the phone is answered and it is a Spanish speaking customer, the call is forwarded to one of our trained bi lingual sales staff.  Proper property management is important for you to have a successful self storage business.

Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS executive

Total quality Assurance Services is brought to you by PhoneSmart – A quality assurance firm.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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There are several different routes you can take for your scrapbooking materials. If you have the extra space in your home, it is ideal to have a desk or other table to use for scrapbooking. You can purchase small storage bins or shelving units to use on your table. This is a great way to keep everything easily accessible so you can be ready to work whenever you get the urge to get creative.

If you don’t have room in your home for an additional desk or table, you can always learn how to choose a more portable means of storage. Many scrapbooking companies are now coming out with great portable rolling boxes that house many different scrapbooking items. These rolling bins are divided into multiple folders, pockets and drawers to allow you to stay organized at all times. When you get the urge to scrapbook, you simply wheel out your portable box and everything you need is at your fingertips. This is the perfect storage option for someone who also likes to scrapbook on the go.

Whether you like portable craft storage or you like conventional self storage, when you get your crafts organized and stored properly you’ll find it much easier to be creative when you’d like to be. The idea of craft storage is a great property management trend that will take the property management industry ahead of the game.

Written by our Guest Blogger.

Total quality Assurance Services is brought to you by PhoneSmart – A quality assurance firm.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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A few of the companies that we secret shop and mystery shop are still slow to recognize the power of the telephone sales script when answering the phone. Some of these companies answer the phone and maybe ask one or two questions and then give the price of the unit. They don’t try and get the most information from the caller to provide them with great customer service. They don’t let the caller know about some of the features and benefits of the property to add value to the price of the storage unit. They don’t build rapport, they don’t smile and they don’t get the callers name and phone number.

If you have these types of employees working at your counter you might want to evaluate your systems for providing customer service. Mystery shopping professionals strive to provide owners and managers with programs to help employees with customer service and sales training. Secret shopping can help your employees hear what they sound like on the phone and sometimes that will bring a change in attitude and willingness to learn a new system.

Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS executive.

Total quality Assurance Services is brought to you by PhoneSmart – A quality assurance firm.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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If you are in the position that craft storage in your home has reached critical mass, think of climate controlled self storage! Ready to be rented are the smallest units that will accommodate your overflow of straw, beads, and feathers, and the large units that will safely contain totes upon totes of clay, wreaths, and easels.

Furthermore, by choosing a climate controlled facility for your craft storage needs you will ensure that all of the supplies will remain in optimum condition and not disintegrate; if you use natural ingredients, such as pressed flowers or straw, this is especially important. In addition to the foregoing, by using a climate controlled self storage facility for your craft storage needs, you will minimize the risk of insect infestations and incidents of rodent damage which may be the case in some facilities where the outside elements dictate the inside temperature.

Total Quality Assurance Services is brought to you by PhoneSmart – A quality assurance firm .

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Making your self storage quotes count, operates on similar lines. While you might be able to shoehorn in all of the above into the aforementioned vehicle, the fact that a Toyota Camry might be a better vehicle choice will make sense. Thus if you are inviting quotes for a self storage unit, make sure you get quotes for a unit of adequate size. If you fail to plan accordingly, you will miss out on the first vital tip of self storage quote shopping: know what you are renting! Rates for storage units vary greatly all across town, and they do not go up in logical progression, but instead rise and fall with the amount of consumer demand for a certain sized unit in a specific neighborhood.

Secondly, ask about additional fees. While telephone quotes are usually the bare bones monies required to get you moved in, further questioning will reveal that one facility may charge first and last months’ rent plus a cleaning deposit, while other’s will only charge a prorated amount for two additional weeks to cover the cost that they may lose when seeking to rent out your storage unit to someone else. Last but not least, make sure you understand the taxes and surcharges which some companies do not quote unless specifically asked to do so.

Total Quality Assurance Services is brought to you by PhoneSmart – A quality assurance firm .

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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• A woman’s last name was different on her credit card than the surname she gave me to reserve a self storage unit. She explained to me that it was her maiden name on the credit card. I said Congratulations on getting married! Seems she was in the process of getting divorced.
• I try to build rapport with my self storage customers by asking some generic questions. A young shopper told me he needed to park a car for about a year. Thinking he was going to study abroad or travel, I asked him where he was going. He replied, To Jail.
• A woman was rather irate and was rambling on and on. I asked her if she spoke Spanish, since PhoneSmart has several Spanish speaking reps that could better assist her Even more annoyed with me, she replied in broken English, No. Do you speak Japanese?
• A man was explaining to me that he needed to park another company vehicle with us. I thought he said the name of the business was Sterling’s Plow, so I assumed he worked for a snow plowing company.   I was building rapport with him by talking about the upcoming winter season and all of the work they will have plowing the snow off of parking lots. Seems the company’s name is Schering Plough, a well known pharmaceutical company.

I’m just trying to be friendly! Open mouth, insert foot, oops.

Written by Ann Sheehan, Call Center Representative

Total quality Assurance Services is brought to you by PhoneSmart – A quality assurance firm.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Do you know what your employees want in their career? Do they want a career with you? Do you know if working in self storage is what they would like to do long term. I have heard some managers working for over a decade in this industry and I have heard some people leaving after a couple of months. Of course, we know this type of job is not for everyone, but as property managers, we need to know how long we can expect people to work for us. 

If we take the time to get to know our people and what they want to do in life, maybe it corresponds with our business. There are many people that work for me that want to be architects, doctors, lawyers or what have you; they are greatly benefiting from working with me because we focus on developing skills that they can take with them. I do have many people that want to move up the ladder and see where it takes them. I do not treat those people any differently from those who would like to leave the company after they graduate college.

By knowing the passion and commitment level, you can plan to hire new people or use your time to develop those who want to stay with the company for years to come. Once again, do not treat people differently, but you would have different focuses with some people than others. Always plan so that no matter what hiccups might come in staffing your business will not suffer. Get to know you people and what they would like to accomplish in their life and they will help you to accomplish your goals as a property manager.

Joel Little, Experience manager.

Thanks for reading our property management blog. Self storage and property management go hand in hand.

94612 Self Storage

65201 Boat Storage

Rent storage at 9455 215th St W, Lakeville, MN 55044

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Find your next car storage, boat storage or self storage at your StorageConcierge – Your premier national and local self storage search engine and free quote provider.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Christmas specials would be perfect to start right now, before the Christmas shoppers spend all of their hard earned money and don’t have any left over. As you know, the Christmas items are out and the Christmas decorations are up.  Which only means one thing, the Christmas shoppers may not have a place to put their gifts.

During the summer months, specials are offered everywhere because people are moving and the kids are off to college. But, what about the Holiday shoppers, that don’t have room in their home to hide the Christmas gifts? Offering a special self storage rate, such as a 5×5 or 5×10 self storage unit would be great to gain a few renters.  You know the average renter rents for about 6 months.  So offering a move in special won’t hurt, if you gain a new customer for the next 6 months, will it?

Written by Robin Turner, Call Center Manager

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Planning a move to Oakland, California? Visit our partners at the Oakland, California moving information center.

Storage available at 7332 Tolbert Rd, Nashville, TN 37209

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Self Storage Owner — Where Self Storage Owners meet Self Storage Customers

30606 Climate Controlled Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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We haven’t taken any classes on how to make jewelry, so we’re babes at it.  However, we have made an appearance at craft shows and festivals so we could check out the competition.  A lot of research on our own has given us an insight as to what the current trends are. And I’ve also picked up on some tips that would make our sales increase by utilizing different sales techniques.

To stay in business, no matter what the business, you have to know as much as you can about the industry and you need to know about the competition.  You have to know about your product and you need to know how to sell.  PhoneSmart offers services in order to help self storage, automobile storage and property management companies out there that are interested in doing the same.  Give us a call, 866-639-1715.

Written by Robin Turner, Call Center Manager and maker of fun jewelry.

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Self Storage available at 2290 Greenbriar Rd, York, PA 17404

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81621 Wine Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Shoppers looking online will narrow their search and create a short list. Of the storage providers on the list, they will likely choose one of these to do business with. This means that customers calling on the phone are more serious about renting and are closer to making a decision than those callers going down a list in the phone book.

What can your business do to be a dominant force in local self storage online searches? First, you should hire a professional to design your web page and maintain it. It is well worth the money; a user-friendly web page draws more interest and ultimately, more tenants.

Consider the content you should include. Prospects want to see a list of nearby locations, a picture of the property they choose, the address and phone number, hours of operation, a map, and a list of units offered at the location. These things should be arranged clearly and easy to select from pull down menus or tabs.

You may also consider advertising your ancillary products such as boxes, tape, bubble wrap, locks, etc. Motivating your prospects with a free or discounted moving truck will also get the phones ringing. Some self storage owners offer coupons for a percentage off their rent or moving supplies. This is also a great way to offer an incentive to get prospects in the door.

Internet advertising is as viable and essential as your phone book listing. Try searching for your local self storage by typing in something like, Austin Self Storage (or whatever your city name) and see where your property falls on the list. And review your web page with fresh eyes to judge how easily it can be navigated.

Written by Sarah Little, TQA Account Executive

Thanks for reading our secret shopping blog; a diary of life in the self storage and rental industry.

33040 Self Storage

Are you moving to San Antonio, Texas? Visit our partners at San Antonio, Texas moving information center.

Rent storage at 807 South Frederick Ave, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

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Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Written by Tron Jordheim, Director of PhoneSmart

Thanks for visiting our property management blog, a blog that deals with self storage, customer service and the property management industry.

Storage available at 1376 Switzgable Dr, Brodheadsville, PA 18322

60062 Self Storage

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Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Another big reason why they stay is because it’s a bigger pain to move out than it is to pay their current self storage rate, and that’s the simple equation. People pull out their checkbook and think to themselves, Nah, it’ll be a big pain to move out. I’ll just write the check.

Or they look at their credit card statement or their bank statement and see the charge to you. They think to themselves, I’ve already spent a bunch of money on storage. But you know what? It would be a huge pain to decide what to do with my stuff and even a bigger pain to move out, and they stay another month. This is exactly the thought process and behavior you need to stimulate in your customers.

Written by Tron Jordheim, PhoneSmart Director

Thanks for reading our TQAS blog, a blog that deals with customer service, self storage, mystery shopping and secret shopping.

Planning a move to Pompano Beach, Florida? Visit our partners at the Pompano Beach, Florida moving information center.

Storage is available at 80 S. Kensico Ave, White Plains, NY 10601

Find your next car storage, boat storage or self storage at your StorageConcierge – Your premier national and local self storage search engine and free quote provider.

Self Storage Owner — Where Self Storage Owners meet Self Storage Customers

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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What does work history tell you? I’m not a huge fan of resumes. I have to apologize to the educational system and people who create resumes. They’re interesting, they’re a way to spark some conversation, but they don’t necessarily tell you what that person is capable of, what they can do in a pinch, or if they can think on their feet. You’ve got to find that out in some different ways. Test for these abilities.

I like to boil this whole process of bringing people into your sales culture down to two acid tests, because these are the two acid tests that you have to pass on a day-to-day basis at your store. When it’s busy and you’re tired and you’re short staffed, how do you handle these situations in you self storage or car storage business?

Written by Tron Jordheim, Director of PhoneSmart

Thanks for visiting our secret shopping blog, a blog about why secret shopping and mystery shopping are important to your self storage and property management business.

Storage Available at 1125 Wyckoff Ave, Ridgewood Queens, NY 11385

Planning a move to San Antonio, Texas? Visit our partners at the San Antonio, Texas moving information center.

Find your next car storage, boat storage or self storage at your StorageConcierge – Your premier national and local self storage search engine and free quote provider.

60131 Self Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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